Chapter 10: A Tree Hill Raven knows that when words don't work, pebbles do. And when pebbles don't, try writing.
Haley walked along the path between the cluster of school buildings and her dormitory, dressed in a brown fitted shirt and khakis, her matching cowboy boots clicking beneath her. Leaves lay strewn on the ground around her, the last faded ones hanging on bare branches of the trees. It was the last few days before Thanksgiving and slowly but surely kids started to trickle out of Tree Hill Prep and back home to be with their families. Peyton had left the day before and Haley had said her goodbyes to Brooke and GiGi who were back to California without her. As much as she'd love to see her mother, it was too much money to fly back just for a couple days and besides, she'd just adjusted to her life in North Carolina. Why go back and dig up the ghosts of her past?
So that's what brought her here… to this moment, walking alone across campus where probably only twenty-five of her privileged classmates were still occupying. By tomorrow, the day before Thanksgiving, they were bound to be down to about fifteen. As she walked up the steps to her dormitory she couldn't help but hear the faint dribble of a basketball. Could it be? No, it couldn't. She was sure Lucas had said that he and Nathan were leaving yesterday. Not that she was looking for either of them in particular... but of course curiosity got the past of her and she found herself making her way around the building to her all too familiar swing and the basketball court that sat just beside it.
Walking along the building but stopping just before she could be seen around the corner, Haley peered to see who was making use of the empty court. Sure enough she saw the back of Nathan Scott, his muscular arms showing in his wife beater and basketball shorts… not that she noticed. She watched as he quickly dribbled the ball from one side of the court to the other. Dunking the ball in each basket as soon as he reached the designated side. After several minutes of this, he made his way to the middle of the court and stopped before turning and facing her direction.
"You know you can come out from behind the corner," Nathan yelled making sure he was loud enough for her to hear. Looks like Haley wasn't as masked as she'd thought. However, she made no movement to move. "Haley there's not need in trying to hide. I've seen you there for the past like five minutes. I figured you'd come out eventually but apparently you're not going to."
Unable to get herself out of this mess, Haley slowly made her way out from behind the wall. Her figure slowly walked towards him, her red cheeks easily becoming visible with every step closer.
"Couldn't get enough of me, eh?" Nathan smirked.
"I just heard someone out here and I wanted to see who it was since not many people are left on campus," Haley stated, looking down at the court.
"I bet you were hoping it was me weren't you?"
"No…" Haley stated, Yes.
"You're a bad liar Haley James. Do you know that?"
"I'm not lying to you Nathan."
"Sure, okay," he stated sarcastically.
"Whatever. I don't need to defend myself to you," Haley replied firmly before turning on her heal to leave.
"Wait Haley," Nathan pleaded causing her to stop, her back still facing him. "I'm glad you came… even if it wasn't for me. I've missed you."
"How can you miss me Nathan?" Haley questioned, finally turning to face him. "I see you everyday."
"You know that's not what I mean Haley. I know I see you everyday in classes and meals, although I'm not sure you see me. But I miss our little chats. Our little run-ins. It's like you've been avoiding me. Ever since-"
"detention," Haley finished for him.
"Yeah."
"Yeah," Haley sighed, finally willing herself to look in his eyes. "I'm sorry."
"You don't have to say sorry Haley," Nathan huffed. "You just have to let me in."
"I did let you in."
"Yeah Haley. You did. And then you pushed me away. You're distancing yourself again. I mean, it's not like we were buddy-buddy before but we weren't just acquaintances."
"Gah Nathan!" Haley snapped. "You don't get it! I can't let you in. I won't let you in. So I need you to stop trying. Just let me be. I don't understand why you're so pressed to get close to me. We're nothing alike and if it's just to get in my pants I'm letting you know now that it's not happening. So just do me a favor and stop trying because if you do, eventually I just might let you in," she finished, her shoulders hanging low, her eyes facing the ground, tears slowly threatening to spill.
"I'm not trying to get into your pants," Nathan stated sincerely. "Besides if I just wanted that then it would have happened a long time ago."
Haley couldn't pass up the chance for an eye roll. "Then why?"
"I don't know Haley. I honestly don't know. Maybe it's because we have a connection that I've never felt before or that for some reason I always feel the need to be around you. Because you're pretty even though you can't even see it or the fact that you're the first girl who hasn't thrown herself down at the sight of me," Nathan stated, finally allowing himself to breathe.
"I don't know what to say to you Nathan."
"Say that you feel the same way. Say that you don't. Just say something," Nathan begged.
"I can't. I can't. I'm sorry," Haley stated, before walking away, but not before Nathan lightly grabbed her arm.
"Please Haley…"
"I'm sorry," she mouthed breathlessly before walking away. It was only when she got to the top of he grassy hill near the dormitory that she turned to face Nathan who was watching her figure walk away.
"Happy Thanksgiving," she shouted, before turning again on her heel to go to her room. Once she got to her room she kicked off her shoes, happy for the silence and happy that she could finally let sleep come over her, unable to deal with her emotional fatigue.
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Crack.
Crack.
Crack.
"What the hell is that?" Rachel huffed as she walked down the hallway in her Seven jeans and Lacoste polo, a constant cracking noise of something hitting the building sounding, though she didn't know where it was coming from.
Crack.
Pausing in front of the door next to her, where it appeared to be coming from, Rachel waited. Two seconds later she got her answer.
Crack.
Pushing open the door, Rachel was met by a sleeping Haley curled up on her bed. Trying her best to be quiet, Rachel shuffled towards the window, looking to see where the racket was coming from. Down below, Nathan Scott stood, a batch of pebbles in his hand, obviously in a futile attempt to get Haley's attention. Making eye contact, Rachel let out a small smirk and turned away from the window. Walking over to where Haley was sleeping she nudged her a little, causing Haley to roll over. Nudging her a little harder this time, Rachel was finally able to wake her up.
"Mo-Rachel?" Haley questioned, rubbing her eyes out of tiredness. "What are you doing?"
"Haley… it's uh, 10:30. We've got our meeting?"
"Our what?"
"You know… dormitory meeting," Rachel lied.
"Oh, right. I uh, I must have forgotten," Haley stated confused, getting up from the bed and following Rachel down to the common room.
"There's no one here," Haley stated looking around at the empty room except for a few girls sitting idly in chairs chatting.
"Oh… must have been cancelled," Rachel sighed.
"I guess I'll go back to my room then."
"NO!" Rachel screeched. "I mean uh, don't. Let's watch a movie or something."
"Why are you being nice to me?"
"Honestly. Because you're really the only person left until I leave tomorrow."
"Whatever, I'm already up. What movie did you have in mind?"
"Mean Girls."
"How fitting," Haley chided, laughing before taking a seat on the couch next to Rachel and watching the movie. Little did she know, about a minute after she left her room, the tapping sounded again.
Crack.
Crack.
Crack.
Against her windowpane the pebbles fell, and beneath it Nathan stood. That is, until he grew tired and realized Haley wouldn't be meeting him. What he didn't know, is that Haley wasn't even there to hear him. He can thank Rachel for that.
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Haley woke up the next morning fairly early due to her substantial amount of sleep the day before, the sun trickling in through her window. The window that just the night before Nathan had been standing under, of which she had been completely oblivious of. Deciding it was too nice out to pass up a fall day like this, Haley pulled on a pair of jeans, a tattered sweater, and her knock-off Birkenstock clogs.
Walking out the door of the building, she made her way around the ivy-covered side and enjoyed the silence. It seemed that many kids had caught flights and trains early that morning, and there was barely anyone on campus. Knowing exactly where she wanted to go, Haley made her way towards that, actually, her wooden swing, hanging gracefully from the high branches of the tree above it.
For some reason this swing was her thinking place. It took her away from reality and let her just sway in the balance of normalcy and her thoughts. Of the inevitable and the unattainable. Of the hope and the fears. Of what she is and what she can be. And just as this swing could take her away from reality… it could bring her back. Like the fact that as Haley approaches the swing there is a white envelope on the seat; a white envelope with the name Haley James written on the front. A handwriting she's seen many times before in her classes; a handwriting that belonged to none other than Nathan Scott.
Hmm.. a bit of a cliffhanger? I know, I'm evil. Don't worry. It'll be uncovered next chapter. Like I said, this was a filler, set-up type of chapter. I hope you enjoyed anyway! I hope to update soon because I love writing this story. Leave lots of reviews with love or criticism and let me know what you're thinking! Thanks )